Keep out of debt and owe no man anything, except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor [who practices loving others] has fulfilled the Law [relating to one's fellowmen, meeting all its requirements].
The commandments, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not kill, You shall not steal, You shall not covet (have an evil desire), and any other commandment, are summed up in the single command, You shall love your neighbor as [you do] yourself.
Love does no wrong to one's neighbor [it never hurts anybody]. Therefore love meets all the requirements and is the fulfilling of the Law.
(Romans 13:8-10 AMP)
I was able to pay off some personal debt this week, and it definitely gave me a good feeling to do it...three less bills I have to deal with every month...But Paul was talking about something more than just becoming and staying debt-free in the conventional sense here...he was saying that the only thing we ever really owe anyone is love...you don't owe everyone an explanation about the details of your life, or about the decisions you make, especially if those details are none of their business...you don't have to over-explain yourself, don't have to try to make everyone like you, don't have to try to be someone you're not just to please everyone...you don't owe anyone conformity...you're not under any obligation to live your life the way everyone else thinks you should live it...
For the rest of the year at CITN we're putting the Two Great Commandments under the microscope, and observing what it really means to love God with all your heart, and to love your neighbor as you love yourself (with the exception of this coming Sunday when the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit will be combining services with us, and I'll be team-preaching with Pastor D.E.)...
Think about what you owe today...it's an awesome thing to get out of personal debt if you can do it, and there's plenty of teaching and instruction out there to help you with it...
But in the bigger picture, remember that you owe God all your love...and love is the only thing you owe anyone else...
8 comments:
Christina Cain Hall said...
Fantastic! thank You so much for being obedient ~Preacher's Daughter
That's Terrific, Bishop! Congrats on the personal victory and thank you for this reminder.
Love does no wrong to one's neighbor [it never hurts anybody]. Therefore love meets all the requirements and is the fulfilling of the Law.
Now that right there is worth gettin' up for! LOVE FULFILLS THE LAW! Hallelujah!
This post brings up a lot of thoughts...I think I'll go with "covenant". Discussing this with a friend today, it was said, "you don't offer covenant to everyone."
I agree.
There are holy places in us. Some are for God alone and anyone who goes in, or is allowed in, needs to have a rope tied around their waist so God can drag them out if they die while they're in there. Interestingly, strangers can enter here for a time. But real covenant? Well...
Love is owed to all and then there is covenant.
The best blog ever Bishop! Thanks for the continual renewing, refreshing...WORD! it is written.. " Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God."
Keep writing, renewing, refreshing, revealing, re-"member"ing, reconnecting...
Pastor Nancy
Can't wait to be ITB!!
Amen Pastor Avery!
Bishop My husband and I visit your church from time to time but ee aren't memebers, but we do come often. Last Sunday, August 22, was AWESOME. We left there feeling ENERGIZED! We talked about it for days after. You make people think outside the box. I love your teaching.
Reba
We owe each other our connection in what we all share - Love, Life, Peace and God’s experience through each of us. We owe that to ourselves, free of indebtedness to doubt of ourselves, of God, of each other.
Free of our own barriers to our full life, which requires freeing ourselves from any barriers, reigns, controls we tried to place on others .
We are, I am, You are, God is Holy. God rests in my, your, our holiness. I, You, We, rest in God’s holiness. God is one with us and the holiness, the majesty of You, Me, and We - is the majesty of God.
Love is the manifestation of Holiness & Majesty. Love frees us from the limitations of doubt and fear.
Love saves. Love saves God, others, and ourselves.
Today is another excellent day.
Today we are all perfect just the way we are...however we evolve today in each moment, we will remain perfect just the way we are!
Today is very special and our best day ever!
I believe that today's ACIM is a prophetic word for CITN ITB...
This holy instant is salvation come
What joy there is today! It is a time of special celebration For today holds out the instant to the darkened world where its release is set. The day has come when sorrows pass away and pain is gone. The glory of salvation dawns today upon a world set free. This is the time of hope for countless millions. They will be united now, as you forgive them all. For I will be forgiven by you today.
We have forgiven one another now, and so we come at last to You again Father, Your Son, who never left, returns to Heaven and his home. How glad are we to have our sanity restored to us, and to remember that we all are one.
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