From my friend Brian

From my morning devotional “Jesus’s instructions on loving one another applies not just to our friends but to us too. It’s tempting but wrongheaded to wield out-of-context lines from Scripture to bolster arguments. Better, in any relationship, is to jointly seek loving, God-honoring, rational accord.” The prayer at the end was “Lord, keep me from using-and thus abusing-Your words out of context to win arguments.” Patty Kirk, author & teacher. Couldn’t have said it better myself. In fact, I couldn’t have said it as well.

Comments from Jeff... 

It is one thing to  quote scripture in a theological debate.  It is quite another to use it in a discussion involving relationships.  To quote scripture to a spouse or a child to get them to change their behavior... well, I find it manipulative and inappropriate.  It smacks of top down, blaming and shaming in order to get things to go one's way.

Love does not treat people this way.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am leading a trip to Italy in November of this year with Pastor Sherri Swanson. There is plenty of room and we would love to have you join!!!

click here for the Italy brochure