People are Not Easy to Love no. 21

“Then God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the person; and while he was sleeping, he took one of his ribs and closed up the place from which he took it with flesh. The rib which Adonai, God, had taken from the person, he made a woman-person; and he brought her to the man-person. The man-person said, “At last! This is bone from my bones and flesh from my flesh. She is to be called Woman , because she was taken out of Man .” This is why a man is to leave his father and mother and stick with his wife, and they are to be one flesh” (B'resheet (Gen) 2:21-24).

A wedding is more than a ceremony where folks gather together for celebration. A marriage is a joining of two into one. A union of two independent persons into a union of cooperation. This is a union that requires grace, mercy, and love.

Marriage requires that we are gracious to one another. Often this grace takes the form of service to one another. We have to set aside our own ego and pride for the strength of the union. This requires that both husband and wife are gracious to each other. We need to come to each other in forgiveness, repentance, regeneration, and salvation in order to strengthen each other, ourselves, and the union we share.

Marriage requires that we are merciful to one another. Often this mercy takes the form of forgiveness to one another. We have to begin to understand that working in unity with someone else is going to challenge our heart. We need to come to each other with a heart of lovingkindness in order to strengthen each other, ourselves, and the union we share.

Marriage requires that we are loving to one another. Often this love takes the form of building up one another. We have to work in unity out of the best for each other to strengthen the union. We need to come to each other with a heart of patience and kindness in order to strengthen each other, ourselves, and the union we share.

We are to become one flesh through this covenant. We become one through service to each other. This covenant before Him requires us to model His harmony with the heart of grace, mercy, and love.

People are Not Easy to Love no. 20

“Trusting is being confident of what we hope for, convinced about things we do not see” (Messianic Jews (Heb) 11:1 CJB). Faith is an action. Hope is my confidence. And the most important part of my relationship with Him is prayer. People are not easy to love because people do not pray.

Earlier this year, I had a colleague come to me and discuss prayer. She said something to the effect that prayer wasn’t going to help anything. And rather than mirroring her secular thoughts on prayer, she was taken back when I affirmed the power of prayer. We have not had any further discussions on this topic BUT I always welcome these chances. People have given up on prayer. And that is because they are convinced that God does not hear. People are deceived into thinking prayer has no power. BUT there is no greater way to build our relationship with Him. There is no greater confidence and trust in His authority than affirming His power over all things. As Paul writes to the church in Corinth, “So we are always confident — we know that so long as we are at home in the body, we are away from our home with the Lord; for we live by trust, not by what we see” (2 Corinthians (2 Co) 5:6-7 CJB). I need to live by trust in what I do not see.

I cannot see God answer prayer. I have no idea how many things are going on with answering a prayer. There are so many things involved in prayer that are beyond my control. BUT the one thing I can control is my affirming His Kingship. I can act in faith by bringing my prayers to Him. I can show my confidence in Him by trusting in His authority. As He assured us, “Therefore, I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, trust that you are receiving it, and it will be yours” (Mark (Mrk) 11:24 CJB).

I see it in myself before my journey today, I did not spend too much time in prayer. That has drastically changed. I am in prayer a lot. I am in prayer intentionally. I have sought out prayer groups because the Spirit moved me to do such. There is a lot of power in prayer if we take the time to work on that powerful tool we all are given open access to using. We all can pray. We need to choose to work on being people of prayer.

If we spent more time in prayer, then we would build a better relationship with Him. Spending time in prayer affirms His rule over our life. Through prayer, we become better Ambassadors of His Kingdom and show His importance in our lives. Prayer is a powerful tool that helps us love Him, our neighbors, and our enemies and ultimately makes us easier people to love.

Grace and Shalom to your home.

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

#ThinkBetter #BeBetter #NoKingButChrist #EmbraceTheWithin #NotMyWayYHWH