@FirstChurchofJerusalem
Today's Early Church Wisdom
“I shall not hesitate also to put into ordered form for you, along with the interpretations, everything I learned carefully in the past from the elders and noted down carefully, for the truth of which I vouch. For unlike most people, I took no pleasure in those who told many different stories, but only in those who taught the truth. Nor did I take pleasure in those who reported their memory of someone else’s commandments, but only in those who reported their memory of the commandments given by the Lord to the faith and proceeding from the Truth itself. And if by chance anyone who had been in attendance on the elders arrived, I made enquiries about the words of the elders—what Andrew or Peter had said, or Philip or Thomas or James or John or Matthew or any other of the Lord’s disciples, and whatever Aristion and John the Elder, the Lord’s disciples, were saying. For I did not think that information from the books would profit me as much as information from a living and surviving voice.
~ Papias of Hierapolis (c. 60–130 AD) From the Preface to his lost ‘Expositions of the Sayings of the Lord’
This week's Psalm is Psalm 31 'My Rock, My Shield, My Song'

Hang Out with Jesus

Good people are usually trustworthy. Generally speaking, you can trust them to do what they say, and this makes life easier. In contrast, those who are untrustworthy and irresponsible often create problems for themselves and others. As a perfectly good being, God always brings peace and security to those who turn to Him, not just for a moment, but for eternity. The Psalmist says, “For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations” (Psalm 100:5). Hanging out with Jesus will always have a positive and beneficial effect on our wellbeing. Communication contains two basic elements: talking and listening. Some people only talk to God. A relationship where one person does all the talking is not a good relationship. Petition, supplication, and intercession are all great, but listening beats them all. Scripture is clear that those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength. It’s only when we are still and listen that we are transformed, renewed, and restored by His word to us personally.