Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of a good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. Philippians 4:8.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow His precepts have good understanding. To Him belongs eternal praise. Psalm 111:10.

Cast all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7 NKJV.

This morning in our Friday Zoom Retreat, we listened to a video by John Ortberg about our thoughts. The first Scripture cited above was from that video and in the discussions that followed. Within our minds we can live in heaven or hell depending upon our own thoughts. Do we let our minds run freely to what is negative or do we stop to consider why we have the thoughts we have? One member shared talking with a man recently who was from another country and who asked him what his survival was, meaning what work did he do to support himself. And yet, in a broader context, isn’t that what everything is about, our survival? I love that we can meet each Friday, a group who love Creator God – Father, Son, Spirit, and love sharing and talking with one another as He leads us to greater understanding and appreciation for what is our survival – Creator God and His love. As John Ortberg pointed out in the video, so much in our world today relentlessly pushes us to think about others with condemnation. Can you imagine if Scripture was never written? Imagine not hearing the words to even know what is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, of good repute, of excellence and worthy of praise…or to not know the Author of each of those remarkable things. And in all honesty, I love reading Paul. He, a Pharisee, was the apostle to the Gentiles and by extension, all of us as he helps us navigate this life with love for God and love for one another, Jew and Gentile.

And our chapter, by Paul led by the Holy Spirit, Romans 14: Now accept the one who is weak in faith, but not for the purpose of passing judgment on his opinions. One person has faith that he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats vegetables only. The one who eats is not to regard with contempt the one who does not eat, and the one who does not eat is not to judge the one who eats, for God has accepted him. Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls; and he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand. v. 1-4. Do we believe that, that God will be able to make him stand? One person regards one day above another, another regards every day alike. Each person must be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes the day, observes it for the Lord, and he who eats, does so for the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who eats not, for the Lord he does not eat, and gives thanks to God. For not one of us lives for himself, and not one dies for himself; for if we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and lived again, that He might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. For it is written: “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall give praise to God.” So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God. Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this – not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother’s way. I know and am convinced in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself; but to him who thinks anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. For if because of food your brother is hurt, you are no longer walking according to love. Do not destroy with your food him for whom Christ died. Therefore do not let what is for you a good thing be spoken of as evil; for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. For he who in this way serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. So then we pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another. Do not tear down the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are clean, but they are evil for the man who eats and gives offense. It is good not to eat meat or to drink wine, or to do anything by which your brother stumbles. The faith which you have, have as your own conviction before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves. But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and whatever is not from faith is sin. v. 5-23.

Do we appreciate spiritual truth given by Creator God? For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking…but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. How little have we heard or considered that in our zeal for “our” way thinking we honor God? Do I need correction? Without any doubt yes! Why? Because I don’t love the way that our God loves. What is my survival? Coming in close to God and being with Him. And sharing with you and with others this tremendous love I have found in Him that brings such peace and hope and joy. He helps me draw in to Him, where He is with me, so I can zoom out with sincerity and pray for every single person that they will come to know and love God. And…so I can trust Creator God for every part of every one of us, His children dearly loved and needing Him. His love is sure and His love is eternal. That is our survival.