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Post by Normandt on Feb 24, 2024 12:17:09 GMT
77. Indispensable Love
Love is abused and very often refused. If God is Love, why does it seem there’s lack of love on earth?
Believing in God, transforming our way of life, returning to a heart to Heart with God, so that his Love flows freely within us, is indispensable.
Otherwise, we block God’s Love and without a compass we drift away. The implications of misleading ourselves or not following Jesus are many. The risk is to have difficulty returning to him.
The only compass we can trust is the Love of God. Jesus invites us to welcome and follow him to truly live within his Love. We are also encouraged to humbly find our place before God.
May we be persons who are signs of Christ present among our contemporaries, to help them receive the Love of God.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014 Book: Let’s Love God, Normand Thomas
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Post by Normandt on Feb 25, 2024 12:02:11 GMT
78. God's Kingdom
Paul gives us a very beautiful message: “For we are his handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for the good works that God has prepared in advance, that we should live in them.” Ephesian, chapter 2, verse 10
“We are his handiwork, created in Christ Jesus.” How powerful, just these few words!
We usually live in a house and we always come back to the house. Our real home is in Jesus Christ. We are true when we establish ourselves in him.
Mary and all the saints are also in the Kingdom of God and they watch over us helping us constantly to get closer to Jesus. Everything is there, now, freely offered, to lead us in Jesus.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014 Book: Let’s Love God, Normand Thomas
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Post by Normandt on Feb 25, 2024 23:34:53 GMT
79. Dehumanized thinking
This is a reflection that God proposes to Job. It can also feed our thoughts. The Lord addresses Job from the midst of his personal storm: “Who is this that obscures divine plans with words of ignorance?” Job, chapter 38, verse 2
Jesus showed us, when he passed into our world, how we disfigure God. We risk being upset when we chase God away. We expose ourselves to lose a lot when we back away from him.
We observe humans, we fall into the faults and sins of the past to such an extent that we come to think God is like us. We hear it everywhere. This one is like that, that one is like this. Why should I follow people in the Church if they are not able to be charitable, to be happy?
We believe that by observing the human being, we see God there. But it’s a little simpler than that. The human being is not God. So, it’s impossible for a human to be perfect either in the world or in the Church.
It will always be easy to find some fault with someone, but let’s not put that fault on God’s back.
We should be responsible in the faith to understand that a fault, a human who sin is contrary to the reality of God. God has created us Love, but we have trouble sharing and receiving it.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014 Book: Let’s Love God, Normand Thomas
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Post by Normandt on Feb 26, 2024 12:20:03 GMT
80. God's grace on us
Job is in the middle of the storm. And he responds to God with wisdom: “I am of little account; what can I answer you? I put my hand over my mouth. Though I have spoken once, I will not do so again; though twice, I will do so no more.” Job, chapter 40, verses 4 to 5
In seeking the good in the other, we will discover goodness in us and we’ll move forward together by following Jesus. Easy.
Let’s become beings filled with the Presence and the Light of God, in order to become familiar with his Light. Let’s ask God’s grace on us to discover his light in the heart, the life and the being of the people around us.
Let’s give thanks for the Presence of God in our life and welcome his Light that enlightens us on the daily path of conversion and faith.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014 Book: Let’s Love God, Normand Thomas
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Post by Normandt on Feb 27, 2024 12:13:09 GMT
81. To run away
Moses responds to the people: “Fear not! Stand your ground, and you will see the victory the Lord will win for you today. These Egyptians whom you see today you will never see again. The Lord himself will fight for you; you have only to keep still.” Exodus, chapter 14, verses 13 to 14
It takes caution to clearly understand this text. The Lord fights evil among the Egyptians, although God does not fight the Egyptians. Pharaoh chooses evil by confining a nation to slavery.
Pharaoh lays his evil on the backs of his own Egyptians. He makes the Egyptians, his people, responsible for his evil and he swings his evil against the Israelites.
If the Lord fights for the people of Israel, it is simply to give them the courage of their convictions and to continue on the road of faith in God. That will set them free.
Fleeing evil leads to God. By fleeing the state of slavery in which the Israelites have been for far too long, they are giving themselves the means to take back their lives.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014 Book: Let’s Love God, Normand Thomas
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Post by Normandt on Feb 28, 2024 12:04:33 GMT
82. Two Choices
The human person has two choices: to focus on God or to move away from him. The image represented by the escape of the Israelites before the Egyptians represent a return to God. To return to God is to be placed in the line of good, to want his Love, to accept the best he offers, to let ourselves be raised and then be peacefully embraced.
A nation who is in God and on the move is recovering his freedom. All peoples should be on the way, together, both feet in the Kingdom of God.
It’s with the Love of God that people and the environment are transformed. They are walking with him.
Let’s cling to this thought: “Whoever does the will of my heavenly Father is my brother, and sister, and mother.” Matthew, chapter 12, verse 50
The one who loves his brother and his sister, his mother and his father and all humans, place himself in God’s family.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014 Book: Let’s Love God, Normand Thomas
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Post by Normandt on Feb 29, 2024 12:06:24 GMT
83. Evil hates Light
Often in the Bible, there are clear passages like this one and at the same time, precise and without appeal: “For everyone who does wicked things, hates the light and does not come toward the light, so that his works might not be exposed. But whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.” John, chapter 3, verses 20 to 21
To do evil is to hate light. To hate light is to hate God. Evil and light are not compatible. It is unthinkable to build up a bad action and declare that it’s luminous.
It’s also difficult to get rid of bad habits. When they don’t seem too damaging, we tend to forget them. And yet the tiniest bad habit can degenerate into unhealthy or even harmful habits.
So, it’s important to watch over our habits and dig out those that can cause harm. If they can harm others, they can also hurt us: “Whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.” We move in faith only with the light of God.
To come to the truth and to get rid of our bad habits is to allow the truth to be generated in our life. God’s light helps us to discern the issues of life.
Moreover, when we feel bad after an action, it’s necessary to check if it really is good or bad, true or false. It would be nice to take some time to find solutions. To realize this discernment and to want to return to goodness is to let ourselves be improved by God.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014 Book: Let’s Love God, Normand Thomas
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Post by Normandt on Mar 1, 2024 11:55:21 GMT
84. The Lamb
Jeremiah has a very beautiful relationship with God. We feel he’s like a son talking to his father: “The Lord informed me; at that time you, O Lord, showed me their doings.” Jeremiah, chapter 11, verse 18
The closer Jeremiah is to God, the more the Spirit of God guides him through difficulties and sorrows. God helps him maneuver among people who hurt him and does not seem to listen to the Lord. Besides, it doesn’t prevent the prophet of God to be persecuted because he disturbs while transmitting the truths of God: “I was like a gentle lamb led to slaughter.” Jeremiah, chapter 11, verse 19a
This text prefigures what Christ will live: “I was like a gentle lamb led to slaughter.” The only difference is that Jesus is not “like” the Lamb, but he “is” the Lamb who will be led to slaughter, because of the evil in the world and for his sole purpose to save us.
The psalm reveals the same thought: “Lord my God, in you I take refuge; rescue me; save me from all who pursue me, lest they maul me like lions, tear me to pieces with none to save.” Psalm 7, verses 2 to 3
The new American Bible, 2011-2014 Book: Let’s Love God, Normand Thomas
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Post by Normandt on Mar 2, 2024 12:07:44 GMT
85. Free Jesus!
Nicodemus allows us to think and understand that persons can condemn other persons without knowing a lot about them. Nicodemus is touched by Jesus: “There was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. He came to Jesus at night.” John, chapter 3, verses 1 and 2a
Nicodemus meets Jesus and he appreciates his quality of God. Only a person who knows Jesus and who loves him can understand what Jesus is doing in the world. He will defend Jesus after his capture: “Nicodemus, one of their members who had come to him earlier, said to them, ‘Does our law condemn a person before it first hears him and finds out what he is doing?’” John, chapter 7, verses 50 to 51
Can we judge Jesus? Can we ensnare Love? This is the impression that emerges: “I was like a gentle lamb led to slaughter.”
The new American Bible, 2011-2014 Book: Let’s Love God, Normand Thomas
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Post by Normandt on Mar 3, 2024 11:57:32 GMT
85. Free Jesus!
Nicodemus allows us to think and understand that persons can condemn other persons without knowing a lot about them. Nicodemus is touched by Jesus: “There was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. He came to Jesus at night.” John, chapter 3, verses 1 and 2a
Nicodemus meets Jesus and he appreciates his quality of God. Only a person who knows Jesus and who loves him can understand what Jesus is doing in the world. He will defend Jesus after his capture: “Nicodemus, one of their members who had come to him earlier, said to them, ‘Does our law condemn a person before it first hears him and finds out what he is doing?’” John, chapter 7, verses 50 to 51
Can we judge Jesus? Can we ensnare Love? This is the impression that emerges: “I was like a gentle lamb led to slaughter.”
The new American Bible, 2011-2014 Book: Let’s Love God, Normand Thomas
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Post by Normandt on Mar 4, 2024 12:32:04 GMT
87. Jesus is so Holy
This man speaks so well that he turns us upside down and inside out. He is so true that he fills us with his presence. He is so God, that we have no more doubt. He opens our eyes.
But not of all. The only way to really follow Jesus is to take our responsibility in hand and follow him.
Let’s grant to Jesus, the High Priest of the Eternal Covenant, to fill us with his presence, to open our heart, to dispel our doubts. Let’s live in joy and hope to see the Church filled with people renewed by grace.
May Jesus be unveiled and known by the future generations.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014 Book: Let’s Love God, Normand Thomas
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Post by Normandt on Mar 5, 2024 12:09:31 GMT
88. Our sins
Peter does not accept that Jesus must die for our sins. Peter stands before the reality of his own sins, his old sins, and he cannot understand why Jesus would die for him. Peter does not understand Jesus’s words and mission and he tells Jesus how he must behave. He doesn’t want Jesus to leave for Jerusalem because he’s going to be killed.
“Peter, takes him aside and begins to rebuke him, ‘God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you.’” Matthew, chapter 1, verse 22
We would also like to tell Jesus what he needs to do to make us happy, but we need to walk away from that conception. It’s easier to understand how Jesus wants us to be happy. Let’s not refuse Jesus anymore in our life.
God alone knows the way. And when Jesus says he will have to surrender to the elders of Jerusalem and they will kill him, he knows what he means. He shows us his way. Jesus says what he does and does what he says.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014 Book: Let’s Love God, Normand Thomas
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Post by Normandt on Mar 6, 2024 11:39:43 GMT
89. God allows evil?
God never uses the strong way like giving cancer to drive a person back to him. It’s impossible. He doesn’t need that. This is not his way.
The body is fragile and sometimes there are complications. But God does not give sickness hoping that someone will convert. Never.
The only powerful way of God is the infinite tenderness of his Love. The test can lead a person to consider God, because it allows time for reflection. Reality and the present moment, in pain, often leads a person to ask himself the important questions of life; sickness, evil, suffering, loss of energy. Often, he will cast a simple look toward God.
Suffering takes him inside himself, turns him toward his heart, and perhaps he will shout. However, it’s always a shame when a person waits to be with his back against the wall to think and react. Perhaps he will accept to let his heart open up to let God create in him silence, then peace.
God is always present and he’s waiting for that person to turn to him. He does just that, wait for him. The person who decides to let God enter into his life will receive him in his heart. And it is guaranteed that God will be there too in his heart.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014 Book: Let’s Love God, Normand Thomas
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Post by Normandt on Mar 7, 2024 12:09:30 GMT
90. Let’s find means
We are the only ones who can block off the Love of God. We are the only ones who can pretend to love if we block the Love of God in our heart. To the limit, it is inconceivable to block the Love of God in our heart, without dying in evil.
Let’s find ingenious means to not refuse the Love of God. We’ll see how simple it is. It’s not demanding to think about it and to walk with God. Let’s give our heart to Jesus, so that he helps us to open the door, that his Love passes in us and that it overflows on people.
Let’s imagine that we hear God say this to us today: “Everyone will know that I am a Loving God when people live in my will. The world will see me in your life.”
But for us, humans, it’s not so easy, because we know how far we can dwell from his love.
We are invited to encourage ourselves and remain vigilant in prayer and spiritual friendship.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014 Book: Let’s Love God, Normand Thomas
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Post by Normandt on Mar 8, 2024 12:07:51 GMT
91. Dried up
These people’s thoughts are interesting, in this next passage. They recognize that they are moving away from God. We feel here the heart that is ready to receive the presence of God: “All of us have become like unclean men, all our good deeds are like polluted rags; We have all withered like leaves, and our guilt carries us away like the wind,” Isaiah, chapter 64, verse 5 because we kept away from you, Lord.
Even so, the world should know that we are sinners and that we can never be perfect enough to let God perfectly pass in our lives. God is passing by, though. Let’s give him his place.
Fortunately, there are people who allow us to feel the presence of God, despite their sinful state. They become examples of faith.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014 Book: Let’s Love God, Normand Thomas
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