Embrace the Within no. 171

“'And we haue knowen, and beleeued ye loue that God hath in vs. God is loue, and he that dwelleth in loue, dwelleth in God, and God in him. Herein is that loue perfect in vs, that we should haue boldnes in the day of iudgement: for as he is, euen so are we in this world. There is no feare in loue, but perfect loue casteth out feare: for feare hath painefulnesse: and he that feareth, is not perfect in loue. We loue him, because he loued vs first. If any man say, I loue God, and hate his brother, he is a liar: for how can he that loueth not his brother whom he hath seene, loue God whom he hath not seene? And this commandement haue we of him, that he that loueth God, should loue his brother also.”

1 John 4:16-21 GNV

Another thing I have learned from starting this year reading the Sermon on the Mount is just how selfish people are. Christ makes it abundantly clear in his teaching that I need to love my God. I need to love my neighbor. I need to love my enemy. I need to love. He could not make anything more simple. My opening scripture from the letter written by John does nothing but make His command even clearer, “If any man say, I loue God, and hate his brother, he is a liar”(1 John 4:20). I can’t hate my brother and love God. So, why is there so much hate and anger?

Selfishness. It all boils down to being selfish for me. Whenever I see someone not acting in love, it is because that person wants to hold onto the self. When I do not want to forgive, when I do not want to love, when I struggle with being righteous, that struggle is always between what I want and what He wants. And when I do not want to let go of self, I am being selfish. When I do not want to forgive, I am being selfish. When I do not want to love, I am being selfish. I am letting what I want get in the way of what He commands.

Two simple commandments that sum up all the Law, love your God and love your neighbor. Simple BUT never easy. Because, “God is loue, and he that dwelleth in loue, dwelleth in God, and God in him” (1 John 4:16). I cannot be of God when I am selfishly choosing not to love for whatever reason I can invent. God does not come up with reasons to not love me. God does not come up with reasons to not love my neighbor. God does not come up with reasons to not love my enemy. God made a way for me and my neighbor and my enemy. Why am I so selfish to think that I get to be above God?

And that is what selfishness becomes. Selfishness becomes taking God of the throne and enthroning myself. Where do I get the nerve to become God? Selfishness. I look with my reason and develop my own idea of what is good. I discard His simple commands and make up my own rules. I think that I have it all figured out. I deceive myself more than Eve was deceived. And I do it all out of selfishness.

Denying my self and taking up what He wants and following Him are the only way to love. This is the only way to combat the selfishness that will constantly lead me astray.

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. 170

“For with God shall nothing be vnpossible.”

Luke 1:37 GNV

After starting this year with a study of The Sermon on the Mount, I figured I would take the next couple days before going into a study of the letter to the Romans and just reflect on where I was and where I am right now in my walk. When I stopped going to a church building for myself, I was tired of the hypocrisy. And what led me back to a church building was also getting tired of hypocrisy. The world is never going to run out of hypocrisy. I am going to find hypocrites everywhere. I found hypocrites in all philosophy, all thought, and all beliefs. I was living like a hypocrite for a good portion of that time as well. And hypocrisy has never set well with my spirit. BUT, nothing is unpossible for God.

So, three years ago there was a plague and when I was frustrated and afraid, God gave me a path to getting healthy. And I am still walking that path today. It might be a path that makes me struggle and makes me do a lot of work BUT it is much better for me than sitting back and thinking I had things figured out. And I think that is from where a lot of hypocrisy flows. Hypocrisy flows from being smug and superior and settled. And you can find smug and superior and settled folks all over the world. You can find them in schools. You can find them in offices. You can find them in stores. You can find them in cars. You can find them in uniforms. You can find them in government. You can find them in hard hats. You can find them under cars. You can find them in planes. You can find them in trains. You can find them behind pulpits. You can find them in pews. You can find them behind pianos. You can find them on stage. You can find them on the Google machines. You can find them on Iphones. You can find them on laptops. You can find them on desktops. You can find them EVERYWHERE.

I have found them everywhere. And in spite and despite hypocrites being everywhere, God’s Word, God’s grace, and God’s love are still being taught and learned and understood and shared. In spite and despite all the hypocrisy, God is still enthroned and still reigns. Nothing is unpossible for Him, not even hypocrites. So why am I so worried about hypocrisy messing up His relationship with me? What am I so worried about anyone else’s relationship? Because I am a hypocrite, too.

And that is one of the things I learned over the past three months of going through the Sermon on the Mount. I need to stop worrying about what my brothers and sisters are doing and focus on what I am doing. Because nothing is more hypocritical than noticing hypocrisy and then being the same sort of hypocrite. And for a long time I was that kind of person. I was better than the people that thought they were better than the people that thought they were better than the people that and it just keeps going without end. Until I end it and start following what He has for me.

And that is not a selfish decision when it is with God. That is the most selfless decision I can make. The decision to kill my ego and follow what He has for me is the best way to start being obedient. Turn my eyes on what He wants me to change rather than looking at all the other things around me that distracts me from what really needs to change.

Grace and Shalom to your home.

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

#ThinkBetter #BeBetter #NoKingButChrist #EmbraceTheWithin #NotMyWayYHWH