Peter answered: “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God. Repent of this wickedness and pray to the LORD. Perhaps He will forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.” Acts 8:20-23.

For this reason I too, having heard of the faith in the LORD Jesus which exists among you and your love for all the saints, do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers; that the God of our LORD Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. Ephesians 1:15-17.

But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written, “Let him who boasts, boast in the LORD.” 1 Corinthians 1:30-31.

And continuing our 351 Old Testament prophecies, promises of God, fulfilled in Jesus Christ, we come to number 102: His friends stood afar off. Psalm 38:11: My loved ones and my friends stand aloof from my plague; and my kinsmen stand afar off. And, Luke 23:49: And all His acquaintances and the women who accompanied Him from Galilee were standing at a distance, seeing these things.

There is a gift more precious than anything this world can offer. God Himself. In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory. In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation – having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory. Ephesians 1:10-14. The treasure, the pearl of great price, is knowing Creator God – Father, Son, Spirit. His love is real and deeply personal and with Him we begin to see how bound we have been in our own ideas of right and wrong with us being “right” and everyone else being “wrong”. In that mindset we miss so much. In trying to be “right” all the time we can’t help but look down on everyone else. That was the saddest state of the Pharisees. And that is the saddest state of you and me without the love of God. Jesus, the Son, Creator God, blew through all of that as He ate with sinners and tax collectors and called men to be His disciples no rabbi would have called. And the gift He gives to us? Himself. And the amazing thing is, that as we gather with others who love Him, their love teaches us how to love! It’s humbling. It’s like being a child again but this time learning all that is true and good and beautiful together. And God is there with us. Hope. Love. In Him in us – together – rejoicing. And the truth of God’s love is that He welcomes all. We have so much to learn! Are you willing to be led by Him? He’s here. Always. Open your heart to Him and find you can open your heart to others, the best communion there is – us with Him!

***PROTECTION May God the Father bless us; may Christ take care of us; the Holy Ghost enlighten us all the days of our life. The LORD be our defender and keeper of body and soul, both now and forever, to the ages of ages. AEthelwold of Winchester (c. AD 908-984).***