Embrace the Within no. 182

“But because of your callous stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are [deliberately] storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed” (Romans 2:5 AMP).

Man, how many times was this me in the past and how many times will this be me again in the future? Stubborn and unrepentant is an ongoing theme in not only my own history BUT, it appears, one that I encounter in others daily as well. I can get so dialed into what I believe and stubbornly and blindly follow my own belief rather than read, listen, and obey the Lord. And I can make that such a routine that I feel like there is nothing for me to repent because I believe I am right and righteous.

And in so doing, in being stubborn and unrepentant, I am putting myself in the direct path of His judgment. I am putting myself in that situation. I am putting myself in that situation when I don’t read and listen and obey. When I enthrone my understanding and my opinions rather than listen to His Word, I put myself in that situation. I choose to complicate things by not being obedient to His Word. I choose to be stubborn and think that I know better. I choose to make things all about me and my understanding. I choose to rely on what other folks say rather than asking God. I choose to do things the easy way rather than doing my own work in my relationship with Him. I choose judgment.

I am only right by reflecting His righteousness. And His righteousness is not found within my choices. His righteousness is found by studying His example. His righteousness is found by daily denying myself, taking up His cross, and following Him in obedience. His righteousness is found when I put my will and stubbornness on the altar and offer my own way as a sacrifice to following Him.

I pray that every day I let my self die so that I can take up what He has for me to do. I pray that I follow the Lord and not rely on my own understanding. I pray that His Spirit helps me discern from His example of how I should speak, act, and reflect His righteousness. I pray that I am a better reflection of His Will as an Ambassador of His Kingdom in my home, my community, and this world.

Grace and Shalom to your home.

I love you. I forgive you. Have a blessed and abundant day!

#ThinkBetter #BeBetter #NoKingButChrist #EmbraceTheWithin #NotMyWayYHWH

Embrace the Within no. 181

“Therefore you have no excuse or justification, everyone of you who [hypocritically] judges and condemns others; for in passing judgment on another person, you condemn yourself, because you who judge [from a position of arrogance or self-righteousness] are habitually practicing the very same things [which you denounce][This is not a prohibition of judgment, nor is it a command to stop using godly wisdom, common sense, and moral courage together with God’s written word to discern right from wrong, to distinguish between morality and immorality, and to judge doctrinal truth. There are many judgments that are not only legitimate, but are commanded (cf John 7:24; 1 Cor 5:5, 12; Gal 1:8, 9; 1 John 4:1-3; 2 John 10); however, you cannot judge another if you are committing the same type of sin.]. And we know that the judgment of God falls justly and in accordance with truth on those who practice such things.

But do you think this, O man, when you judge and condemn those who practice such things, and yet do the same yourself, that you will escape God’s judgment and elude His verdict? Or do you have no regard for the wealth of His kindness and tolerance and patience [in withholding His wrath]? Are you [actually] unaware or ignorant [of the fact] that God’s kindness leads you to repentance [that is, to change your inner self, your old way of thinking—seek His purpose for your life]”(Romans 2:1-4 AMP)?

Courage is choosing to change. I have been saying that for the past three years partially because I needed it to be true and partially because it has proven itself to be true. BUT I cannot change without God. His kindness, His tolerance, His patience, His grace, and His mercy are what allow me the time and ability to change. He gives me the courage to change even when it is difficult. He gives me the courage to change even when the situations seem insurmountable. He gives me the courage to change even when I can’t see a way to change. He gives me the courage to change into the image He wants for my life.

There is a lot of hypocrisy and idolatry that gets in my way of His change in my life. And in this part of Paul’s letter, he addresses those two problems. He addresses how I can easily judge others for their sins and forget that my judgment is not the one that matters. He also addresses the idea that a lot of my problems are enthroning something other than God as the ruler of my life. I set myself enthroned to judge others and myself when that job is only God’s.

I should be seeking His purpose and His discernment on how to live rather than relying on my own. I should be praying and studying and working on being more like the example The Christ gave on earth BUT too often I want to live a life of comparison to others because it is easier. It is much easier to compare myself to other fallen people than to a perfect example. It is much easier to compare myself with other folks in churches, other folks in my community, other folks in The Bible, rather than compare my walk with His walk. And those comparisons can inflate my ego. BUT in comparison to the example Jesus gave while on this earth, my comparisons pale and fade and disappear.

I need to be more like Jesus than better than someone else. That is the comparison I need to make when I try to enthrone myself as judge of others and the world. I need to spend a lot more time comparing my walk with His walk.

I pray that I seek His judgment in my life and not my own. I pray that I am always working to live a life more like the example of Jesus. I pray that my walk will help bring others to His salvation and sanctification. I pray that I am a better ambassador of His Kingdom daily. I pray that through His mercy and grace and love that my walk will be a better example to all in my home, my community, and my world.

Grace and Shalom to your home.

I love you. I forgive you. Have a blessed and abundant day!

#ThinkBetter #BeBetter #NoKingButChrist #EmbraceTheWithin #NotMyWayYHWH