Seek First The Kingdom of God no. 45

“Yeshua came and talked with them. He said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make people from all nations into talmidim , immersing them into the reality of the Father, the Son and the Ruach HaKodesh , and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember! I will be with you always, yes, even until the end of the age’” (Mattityahu (Mat) 28:18-20). Talmidim or disciple is not someone that believes something. A disciple is someone that knows the teaching so well that they go out and teach the teaching as well. The disciple goes out and becomes so much like the teacher that the rabbi and talmid do exactly the same things. The disciple and the teacher live out the examples of the same teaching.

Jesus is not only with us as the Spirit indwelling within us, Jesus is also with us as the example we live. I would be a horrible teacher if I did not live out the importance of what I teach. I take seriously the job of reading and understanding. Even before I was walking as a Christian well, I took the time to study and research and read and learn. Now that I am a Christian, I use those skills, those gifts for the glory of His Kingdom. What I learn, I go out and share with the world, Christian and nonChristian.

Living an example of Jesus is not something that should be a secret. Jesus calls us in the Sermon on the Mount to be, “. . . light for the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Likewise, when people light a lamp, they don’t cover it with a bowl but put it on a lampstand, so that it shines for everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before people, so that they may see the good things you do and praise your Father in heaven” (Mattityahu (Mat) 5:14-16). Like the popular children’s church song reminds us, “Hide it under a bushel - NO!/I'm gonna let it shine” (This Little Light of Mine).

So, I am going to do my best to be an Ambassador of His Kingdom to a world that needs more of Him. The world needs more love, more grace, more mercy, more Jesus. And it is not going to learn about Him if I don’t live that out for others. To make disciples, I have to be a disciple. To be a disciple is to internalize all the teachings of Jesus and live those out every day as Him. At the end of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus reminds us the importance of a solid foundation in His teaching, “So, everyone who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a sensible man who built his house on bedrock. The rain fell, the rivers flooded, the winds blew and beat against that house, but it didn’t collapse, because its foundation was on rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a stupid man who built his house on sand. The rain fell, the rivers flooded, the wind blew and beat against that house, and it collapsed — and its collapse was horrendous” (Mattityahu (Mat) 7:24-27)! So let’s use that foundation as His disciples, His ambassadors, His brothers and sisters. And let us be the light to the world. Stop living in fear and live boldly for Him.

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. 44

“The righteous desire only good,

but what the wicked hope for brings wrath.

Some give freely and still get richer,

while others are stingy but grow still poorer.

The person who blesses others will prosper;

he who satisfies others will be satisfied himself.

The people will curse him who withholds grain;

but if he sells it, blessings will be on his head.

He who strives for good obtains favor,

but he who searches for evil — it comes to him!

He who trusts in his riches will fall,

but the righteous will flourish like sprouting leaves” (Mishlei (Pro) 11:23-28). What are we working for? I work in a job that is not for getting rich and powerful. Often I and others hear folks complain about the amount of money they make and, for years, I have told those people to find another job. Even when I was not a good follower of Jesus, I knew that there was more to my job than my pay. So often the goals of the world can influence our goals. We can be motivated by wealth and the comfort it brings here on earth. I am never going to say that I am not comfortable or rich in this life. BUT I have always had a foundation that money was simply another tool in life and not a goal.

Jesus talks about folks complaining about the fairness of their wages, “But he answered one of them, ‘Look, friend, I’m not being unfair with you. Didn’t you agree to work today for a denarius? Now take your pay and go! I choose to give the last worker as much as I’m giving you. Haven’t I the right to do what I want with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?’ Thus the last ones will be first and the first last” (Mattityahu (Mat) 20:13-16). And He gives the greatest example of living a life in service and not concerned with riches on earth, “Do not store up for yourselves wealth here on earth, where moths and rust destroy, and burglars break in and steal. Instead, store up for yourselves wealth in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and burglars do not break in or steal. For where your wealth is, there your heart will be also” (Mattityahu (Mat) 6:19-21). And yet we still complain much like the young ruler when, “Yeshua said to him, ‘If you are serious about reaching the goal, go and sell your possessions, give to the poor, and you will have riches in heaven. Then come, follow me!’ But when the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he was wealthy. Then Yeshua said to his talmidim , ‘Yes. I tell you that it will be very hard for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Furthermore, I tell you that it is easier for a camel to pass through a needle’s eye than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God’” (Mattityahu (Mat) 19:21-24).

Is wealth distracting me? Am I too comfortable with the possessions I have? Am I too comfortable with my situation in life? It isn’t going with me. Nothing I have materially is making it through the grave and the fire. All I have is my allegiance to Him. Where are my treasures?

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