.The Steeple Church Podcast is recorded on Wurundjeri land in the east suburbs of Naarm - that you will find on a map as Balwyn in Melbourne, Australia.We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of these lands, the Boon Wurrung and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung peoples of the Eastern Kulin Nation and we pay our respect to their Elders past, present and emerging.Sovereignty was never ceded.You can view the full Steeple Church Acknowledgement of Country here...If you would like to know more about Steeple Church or connect with us you can do so by checking out our website on-the-line at steeplechurch.com.au or by following us on all the socials...InstagramThe FacebookYoutube

Matthew 5: 43-48.““You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”.“To love our enemies is an invitation to live like love can raise the dead!” - @corycarl.This scripture is not about being passive in response to those who are pro-actively and systematically diminishing and devaluing the dignity of those who are on the bottom..This scripture is an invitation to live a life of love for others, including our enemies, by letting God’s love get at us and flow through us in nonviolently creative, and imaginative, and transformative ways..It’s an invitation to….1. Be Loved, first..Read, Reflect, Experiment with 1 John 4: 11-21.Reflection #1:  Do you know you are loved by God?  If not, why not?  If so, how do you know?  If it’s been a while, what’s been getting in the way or what do I need to let go of in order to let God’s love in?.Experiment #1: Be still.  Spend a couple minutes in silence, making room for the Holy Spirit to reveal himself as the lover of your soul..2. Be Prayerful..Read, Reflect, Experiment with Matthew 5: 43-48 and this quote from Jim Forrest:.“…to pray for an enemy is no small or easy step. The fact is that the last people in the world we want to pray for are the people we fear or hate or regard with disgust. You know you have an enemy whenever you discover a person or community of people for whom you hesitate to pray. But once you recognize enmity, take note of it. Keep a list of the people you find it hard to pray for and then pray for them anyway. Do it as a religious duty.”.Reflection #2: Are there people or groups of people that you hesitate to pray for?  Who are they?  Why do you think you hesitate?.Experiment #2: If you recognise enmity, take note of it. Keep a list of the people you find it hard to pray for and then pray for them anyway.  Spend a couple of minutes a day praying for these people.The Steeple Church Podcast is recorded on Wurundjeri land in the east suburbs of Naarm - that you will find on a map as Balwyn in Melbourne, Australia.We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of these lands, the Boon Wurrung and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung peoples of the Eastern Kulin Nation and we pay our respect to their Elders past, present and emerging.Sovereignty was never ceded.You can view the full Steeple Church Acknowledgement of Country here...If you would like to know more about Steeple Church or connect with us you can do so by checking out our website on-the-line at steeplechurch.com.au or by following us on all the socials...InstagramThe FacebookYoutube

.The Steeple Church Podcast is recorded on Wurundjeri land in the east suburbs of Naarm - that you will find on a map as Balwyn in Melbourne, Australia.We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of these lands, the Boon Wurrung and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung peoples of the Eastern Kulin Nation and we pay our respect to their Elders past, present and emerging.Sovereignty was never ceded.You can view the full Steeple Church Acknowledgement of Country here...If you would like to know more about Steeple Church or connect with us you can do so by checking out our website on-the-line at steeplechurch.com.au or by following us on all the socials...InstagramThe FacebookYoutube

.The Steeple Church Podcast is recorded on Wurundjeri land in the east suburbs of Naarm - that you will find on a map as Balwyn in Melbourne, Australia.We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of these lands, the Boon Wurrung and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung peoples of the Eastern Kulin Nation and we pay our respect to their Elders past, present and emerging.Sovereignty was never ceded.You can view the full Steeple Church Acknowledgement of Country here...If you would like to know more about Steeple Church or connect with us you can do so by checking out our website on-the-line at steeplechurch.com.au or by following us on all the socials...InstagramThe FacebookYoutube

.The Steeple Church Podcast is recorded on Wurundjeri land in the east suburbs of Naarm - that you will find on a map as Balwyn in Melbourne, Australia.We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of these lands, the Boon Wurrung and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung peoples of the Eastern Kulin Nation and we pay our respect to their Elders past, present and emerging.Sovereignty was never ceded.You can view the full Steeple Church Acknowledgement of Country here...If you would like to know more about Steeple Church or connect with us you can do so by checking out our website on-the-line at steeplechurch.com.au or by following us on all the socials...InstagramThe FacebookYoutube

.The Steeple Church Podcast is recorded on Wurundjeri land in the east suburbs of Naarm - that you will find on a map as Balwyn in Melbourne, Australia.We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of these lands, the Boon Wurrung and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung peoples of the Eastern Kulin Nation and we pay our respect to their Elders past, present and emerging.Sovereignty was never ceded.You can view the full Steeple Church Acknowledgement of Country here...If you would like to know more about Steeple Church or connect with us you can do so by checking out our website on-the-line at steeplechurch.com.au or by following us on all the socials...InstagramThe FacebookYoutube

.The Steeple Church Podcast is recorded on Wurundjeri land in the east suburbs of Naarm - that you will find on a map as Balwyn in Melbourne, Australia.We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of these lands, the Boon Wurrung and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung peoples of the Eastern Kulin Nation and we pay our respect to their Elders past, present and emerging.Sovereignty was never ceded.You can view the full Steeple Church Acknowledgement of Country here...If you would like to know more about Steeple Church or connect with us you can do so by checking out our website on-the-line at steeplechurch.com.au or by following us on all the socials...InstagramThe FacebookYoutube

.The Steeple Church Podcast is recorded on Wurundjeri land in the east suburbs of Naarm - that you will find on a map as Balwyn in Melbourne, Australia.We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of these lands, the Boon Wurrung and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung peoples of the Eastern Kulin Nation and we pay our respect to their Elders past, present and emerging.Sovereignty was never ceded.You can view the full Steeple Church Acknowledgement of Country here...If you would like to know more about Steeple Church or connect with us you can do so by checking out our website on-the-line at steeplechurch.com.au or by following us on all the socials...InstagramThe FacebookYoutube

This week Cory invited us to re-read Matthew 7:1-5 in a way that invites us to acknowledge we are all vision impaired by the same stuff – regardless of whether it is a speck or a log – and that the goal is not to set ourselves over and against others by simply not judging anyone or anything, or by simply condemning everyone about all the things that irritate the hell out of or into us – but rather to participate in the work of removing our own “logs” in order to help our sisters and brothers remove the “specks” from their own life in such ways that we can all experience the active presence of forgiveness, healing, restoration, grace and mercy as given by and through - the ultimate judge - our Lord, Jesus!.“Removing our blind spots is an ongoing work of repentance.So, run to Calvary!There, overwhelmed by God’s grace, you can THEN invite others to join you in God’s mercy.What we don’t confess God can’t transform.And the humility to speak into the vulnerability of others flows out of our own need for God’s mercy.”Jarrod McKenna[Matthew 7:1-5 AMP]“Do not judge [criticize and condemn others unfairly with an attitude of self-righteous superiority as though assuming the office of a judge], so that you will not be judged [unfairly]. 2 For just as you [hypocritically] judge others [when you are sinful and unrepentant], so will you be judged; and in accordance with your standard of measure [used to pass out judgment], judgment will be measured to you. 3 Why do you look at the [insignificant] speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice and acknowledge the [egregious] log that is in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me get the speck out of your eye,’ when there is a log in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite (play-actor, pretender), first get the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.”.The Steeple Church Podcast is recorded on Wurundjeri land in the east suburbs of Naarm - that you will find on a map as Balwyn in Melbourne, Australia.We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of these lands, the Boon Wurrung and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung peoples of the Eastern Kulin Nation and we pay our respect to their Elders past, present and emerging.Sovereignty was never ceded.You can view the full Steeple Church Acknowledgement of Country here...If you would like to know more about Steeple Church or connect with us you can do so by checking out our website on-the-line at steeplechurch.com.au or by following us on all the socials...InstagramThe FacebookYoutube

.The Steeple Church Podcast is recorded on Wurundjeri land in the east suburbs of Naarm - that you will find on a map as Balwyn in Melbourne, Australia.We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of these lands, the Boon Wurrung and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung peoples of the Eastern Kulin Nation and we pay our respect to their Elders past, present and emerging.Sovereignty was never ceded.You can view the full Steeple Church Acknowledgement of Country here...If you would like to know more about Steeple Church or connect with us you can do so by checking out our website on-the-line at steeplechurch.com.au or by following us on all the socials...InstagramThe FacebookYoutube