Seek First The Kingdom of God no. 26

“For you used to be darkness; but now, united with the Lord, you are light. Live like children of light, for the fruit of the light is in every kind of goodness, rightness and truth — try to determine what will please the Lord. Have nothing to do with the deeds produced by darkness, but instead expose them, for it is shameful even to speak of the things these people do in secret. But everything exposed to the light is revealed clearly for what it is, since anything revealed is a light. This is why it says, ‘Get up, sleeper! Arise from the dead, and the Messiah will shine on you’” (Ephesians (Eph) 5:8-14)! I can’t be both in darkness and in light. I can’t be both dead and alive. I need to live like out the goodness, the rightness, and truthfulness of the light. “I have come as a light into the world, so that everyone who trusts in me might not remain in the dark. If anyone hears what I am saying and does not observe it, I don’t judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world” (Yochanan (Jhn) 12:46-47). I need His light to live out His Kingdom today. The light needs to guide my path as I walk today because the light is going to expose everything at judgment. I need to get up and awaken to His light.

I have never had a problem arising in the morning and going about my day. I arise and pray and drink my water and do my exercises and read my devotions and sit down and write. I need to awaken to reflect His light and let it shine on the world. I can’t be both awake and asleep, alive and dead, light and darkness, “We pray that you will be continually strengthened with all the power that comes from his glorious might; so that you will be able to persevere and be patient in any situation, joyfully giving thanks to the Father for having made you fit to share in the inheritance of his people in the light. He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son” (Colossians (Col) 1:11-13). I need to live like His light every day. And the best way to learn what is light is by learning more about Him. “For the mitzvah is a lamp, Torah is light, and reproofs that discipline are the way to life” (Mishlei (Pro) 6:23).

Seek first His Kingdom which rests on the foundation of love.

Grace and Shalom to your home. The Kingdom of God is now!

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

#ThinkBetter #BeBetter #NoKingButChrist #EmbraceTheWithin #SeekFirstTheKingdom #NotMyWayYHWH

Seek First The Kingdom of God no. 25

“How blessed are those who show mercy!

for they will be shown mercy.

How blessed are the pure in heart!

for they will see God.

How blessed are those who make peace!

for they will be called sons of God.

How blessed are those who are persecuted

because they pursue righteousness!

for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs” (Mattityahu (Mat) 5:7-10).

I don’t typically write on Sundays BUT I felt the need to get some thoughts down today before a lot of preachers, pastors, ministers, and other clergy use their pulpit as a place to justify murder. I am writing this from a place of very little information about the current situation with the government of Israel and their conflict with the displaced people of Palestine. I am uninformed mainly because I stopped watching mainstream news a while ago and partially because I was dealing with my mother’s death yesterday. A real loss that occurred in the home of my childhood with actual people that I knew and loved. BUT I think that far too often death and war are things that happen far away from us and separate from us and we distance the real human suffering that death brings into the world. And I don’t want other people to feel that loss, that sadness, that grief. It sucks.

Another point in this whole situation is that church folks like to use the nation of Israel to fight their own proxy war. In American society, there is a rich heritage of getting other folks to fight our battles. Rather than this nation being honest about their intentions, the American government encourages other parties to get their hands bloody. I see the same thing in Christendom and the church when it comes to Israel. Rather than admit they are violent folks seeking vengeance, church folks push their beliefs on to God and the people of Israel. No matter what Jesus says, the church has to be behind getting Israel in position for their end times, apocalypse, sick fantasy of ending the world. And it’s disgusting. It makes me sick that folks can sit in churches and want the world to end. You don’t pray “Our Father in heaven! May your Name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come, your will be done on earth as in heaven” and then act contrary to His teaching from a few breaths earlier “You have heard that our fathers were told, ‘Love your neighbor — and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! Then you will become children of your Father in heaven. For he makes his sun shine on good and bad people alike, and he sends rain to the righteous and the unrighteous alike. What reward do you get if you love only those who love you? Why, even tax-collectors do that! And if you are friendly only to your friends, are you doing anything out of the ordinary? Even the Goyim do that! Therefore, be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect” (Mattityahu (Mat) 5:43-48). Or even before that, “You have heard that our fathers were told, ‘Eye for eye and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you not to stand up against someone who does you wrong. On the contrary, if someone hits you on the right cheek, let him hit you on the left cheek too! If someone wants to sue you for your shirt, let him have your coat as well! And if a soldier forces you to carry his pack for one mile, carry it for two! When someone asks you for something, give it to him; when someone wants to borrow something from you, lend it to him” (Mattityahu (Mat) 5:38-42).

Nope we don’t want to hear that. We want to be the one that takes vengeance either through our own actions or by supporting proxies to do our sick and twisted wills. It’s disgusting and it needs to stop. And it stops when we start seeking His Kingdom and not our own. It starts by really living like Jesus and not some Jesus we made up. Living like the guy who had all the power at His disposal and chose to show love.