Embrace the Within no. 208

“Now, my son, may Adonai be with you and give you success as you build the house of Adonai your God, in keeping with what he said about you. May Adonai give you common sense and understanding, and may he give you his orders concerning Isra’el, so that you will observe the Torah of Adonai your God. Then you will succeed, if you take care to obey the laws and rulings that Adonai ordered Moshe concerning Isra’el. Be strong, be bold; don’t be afraid or become discouraged” (Divrei-HamYamim Alef (1 Ch) 22:11-13 CJB)! When we follow God we should remember to, as David commands Solomon, “Be strong, be bold; don’t be afraid or become discouraged!” This isn’t our own mastery of fear BUT our assurance that God is in control. Because God has His plan, there is no reason to be afraid. I can walk boldly and take strength that all will work out. Faith is an action. Hope is my confidence. Courage is trusting in Him.

He is who He says He is. He does not lie about who He is, “My Father has handed over everything to me. Indeed, no one fully knows the Son except the Father, and no one fully knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son wishes to reveal him. Come to me, all of you who are struggling and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Mattityahu (Mat) 11:27-30 CJB). He will give us rest. He is gentle and humble. His yoke is easy and His burden for us is light. He did all the heavy lifting in defeating death.

Even when He was leading them out of slavery and not into the fulfillment of His promise, “All these people kept on trusting until they died, without receiving what had been promised. They had only seen it and welcomed it from a distance, while acknowledging that they were aliens and temporary residents on the earth. For people who speak this way make it clear that they are looking for a fatherland. Now if they were to keep recalling the one they left, they would have an opportunity to return; but as it is, they aspire to a better fatherland, a heavenly one. This is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city” (Messianic Jews (Heb) 11:13-16 CJB). We have a better kingdom to proclaim. We have a better hope in a perfect king that is not ashamed of us. And there is no need to be afraid. Faith is an action. “Be strong, be bold; don’t be afraid or become discouraged!” Hope is my confidence. “Look! God’s lamb! The one who is taking away the sin of the world” (Yochanan (Jhn) 1:29 CJB)! Courage is trusting in Him.

Grace and Shalom to your home.

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

#ThinkBetter #BeBetter #NoKingButChrist #EmbraceTheWithin #NotMyWayYHWH

People are Not Easy to Love no. 19

“When Yeshua noticed how the guests were choosing for themselves the best seats at the table, he told them this parable: ‘When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, don’t sit down in the best seat; because if there is someone more important than you who has been invited, the person who invited both of you might come and say to you, ‘Give this man your place.’ Then you will be humiliated as you go to take the least important place. Instead, when you are invited, go and sit in the least important place; so that when the one who invited you comes, he will say to you, ‘Go on up to a better seat.’ Then you will be honored in front of everyone sitting with you. Because everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but everyone who humbles himself will be exalted'” (Luke (Luk) 14:7-11 CJB). Humility is the best response to great reward and honor. People are not easy to love because they seek esteem.

There is an exceeding amount of emphasis on self worth and self esteem in wellness culture. Folks are taught to exalt their own talents and use these talents to manifest temporal rewards and esteem. While walking this latest journey, I dabbled in those self movements of wellness. In those movements, all things are not as Jesus said, “Humanly, this is impossible; but with God everything is possible” (Mattityahu (Mat) 19:26). Instead, all things are possible through ourselves. And this self worth and self esteem culture emphasizes our own importance over God’s.

My self worth and self esteem should be rooted in being a creation of His and not a creation of my own. I should humble myself to not only Him BUT to all others. Jesus was the most powerful, most worthy, and most esteemed person to ever live, however, His example does not show someone haughty or dismissive or arrogant. He is approachable and helpful and kind. Rather than focusing on elevating my self worth and self esteem, I should find solace in His with and esteem. His worth and esteem are what make me special and important. His calling is what sets me apart as one of His chosen people. Following His example is what makes me right with Him.

I will never be worthy of His grace. I will never have His esteem. BUT I can be a part of His glory in the ages to come. And all that is not rooted in me BUT in Him.

There is value in finding your worth and esteem BUT it should be rooted in His grace and mercy and love. Some folks want esteem for what they can accomplish, however, I am constantly reminded that without Him I have nothing. Some folks are not easy to love because their esteem is not rooted in Him.

Grace and Shalom to your home.

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

#ThinkBetter #BeBetter #NoKingButChrist #EmbraceTheWithin #NotMyWayYHWH