Luke 5:15-16

Many crowds would gather around Jesus, but He would withdraw to deserted places to pray.

We need time alone with God so that we can actually hear Him and renew our energy.

Everyone needs a rhythmic form of daily renewal, and for most of us, it’s that “witching hour” sometime between 2 and 5 in the afternoon. This is when we need to call a spiritual partner, meditate, read a verse or passage that reminds us of the truth we need to hear at that time to stay the course… Just take 10 minutes to STOP. It’s awesomeness the good effect this short time of slowing down can have on our psyche.

Luke 5:36-39

Jesus brought in the New Covenant, which fulfilled and actually replaced the Old Covenant as this passage seems to indicate.

He wasn’t just tacking some more stuff on to the Old Testament. The old traditional ways of the Law are being replaced by the new way of the Spirit, which fulfills the entire OT.

People get use to tradition, and it is difficult to adapt to new ways, even when they are truth given by God Himself.

When you take note, back of all the Laws given by God is love of God, self, and others. In the New Covenant days since Jesus, we live by the power of the Spirit who enables us to love God with all our heart, love ourselves well [because He does], and love all people this same way. And when you live in this love, you have no need of the Laws for you are already fulfilling them without even looking at them.

It’s kind of like if you drive south to Marengo Cave in southern Indiana every couple weeks or so. After a while you no longer need a map or to even look at the signs along the road. You just drive to Marengo. It does not render the road signs invalid. They are still correct. You just don’t need to use them anymore.

May we only work toward truly loving God, ourselves, and others from the sincerity of our inner self, our heart, and cease striving toward the right behavior, doing the right thing. Oh the freedom this brings!

Proverbs 18:1

No one does life well alone. We are designed to live in a spiritual family and flourish within it.

The aim of God in history is the creation of an all-inclusive community of loving persons with God Himself at the very center of this community as its prime Sustainer and most glorious Inhabitant.

-Dallas Willard