Welcome to the ULC Minister's Network

Kimberly S Lewis

The Good News

  • Each heart knows it own bitterness, and one else can share its joy - Proverbs 14:10

     

    A foolish son brings grief to his father and bitterness to the one who bore him -  Proverbs 17:25

     

    What advantage,then, is there in being a Jew, or what value is there in circumcision?  Much in every way!  First of all, they have been entrusted with the very words of G-d.  What if some did not have faith?  Will their lack of faith nullify G-d's faithfulness?  Not at all!  Let G-d be true, and every man a liar.  As it is written:

     

    "So that you may be proved right when you speak and prevail when you judge.  But if our unrighteousness brings out God's righteousness more clearly, what shall we say?  That G-d is unjust in bringing his wrath on us?  (I am using a human argument.)  Certainly not!  If that were so, how could G-d Judge he world?  Someone might argue, "If my falsehood enhances G-d's truthfulness and so increases His glory, why am I still condemned as a sinner?" Why not say -- as we are being slanderously reported as saying and as some claim that we say -- "Let us do evil that good may result"?  Their condemnation is deserved. 

     

    What shall we conclude then that we are better?  Not at all!  We have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles (secular's) alike are under sin.

    Romans 3:1-9

     

              When we face obstacles; whether they be anger, bitterness, crime, or violence from another we as children of G-d must remember to be meek; that it is not lean on our own understanding that we are to rely on to make decisions.  People have encountered many instances in their life; a parent who is an alcoholic, a family member who is a gang member, a spouse who cheated on them, and these thing color our perspective, our understanding.  We think that because we have been in these situations or know someone who has that we are wise in such matters.  As the people of G-d we should not let our past color our relationships with others.  When we speak to others about these situations we should not speak our own words, colored by our own experiences.  Bu, we should speak the Words of G-d, now in a secular world this may be difficult for some, secular people will hear only the words, G-d, or Jesus, or Peter, Moses, Noah, or Paul, the Ten Commandments and will shrink away.  But, we have to understand that our languages are confused and our communication skills are limited.  We as the people of G-d, can easily spread the Good News without getting on a pulpit and becoming preachers waving our bibles on a pulpit.  We can be REAL.  The truth of G-d IS the truth; Thou shalt not murder, or that shall not steal, these are all truths and no matter what language you say them in, they will always be the truth.  We must have compassion and respect when we speak to others and not find ourselves thinking that we are their judges or teachers; their teacher is G-d Almighty, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit that is who the people will learn from and not us.  We are just conveying a message that has been passed down from generation to generation, and nothing we say is original, it has all been said.

     

    Our job is to be a light in the world, a world where many people choose to live in darkness.  They want that nice outfit, the nice car, the new promotion, and they will many sins to get them.  We are to be living representatives of the Word of G-d and the decisions we make and the actions we commit are our uniform.  You can be living with people who drink, do drugs, and not be influenced by them in anyway.  In fact, that is where we are needed the most - "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick" (Luke 5:31).  We are not better than these people in any way, we were just helped first and we will be payed the same wages, as they will. 

     

    So, we must learn our 'audience', as it where the people that we are around constantly, even if we are just going down to the grocery store.  We must remember to try and speak the Word of G-d and not our own words.  When someone asks "I love the way you handled that situation", give glory to G-d, for He loved the World, so much, that He gave His only begotten Son, so that we may walk in the truth and the light.  When you get angry or frustrated with somebody, think "What does the bible say about this situation, what did Jesus or Moses, or the apostles say"   There are philosophers, politicians we have reiterated what was in the bible in so many different ways; there is no reason why you should feel that is impossible to communicate.  When the prostitute was being stoned, Jesus said to the crowd, "He who is without sin, cast the first stone" and wrote in the sand.  This is what we should be doing; standing in front of those who cannot protect themselves or who is not being heard.

     

    We should do this with a glad spirit, smiling and joyful, not full of anger, or condemnation, or arrogance.  We should be peaceful and compassionate when we speak to others.  Not full of animosity or resentment, we should be like Jesus when He said, "Suffer the children to come unto me".  Not wagging our finger in someone's face, we should be meek and patient, and know how lucky we are to have received understanding sooner than later.  The words of G-d will prove true, and we do not have to get adversely emotional or angry, because that seed will bear fruit in the future.  So love thy neighbor, as thy self and do not judge, or feel prideful, feel peace and joy that we able to share this Good News to other, it is a Gift from G-d.