Embrace the Within no. 166

He also told them a parable: “Can a blind man guide [another] blind man? Will they not both fall into a hole in the ground? A student is not superior to his teacher; but everyone, after he has been completely trained, will be like his teacher. Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice or consider the log that is in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, allow me to take out the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite (play actor, pretender), first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother’s eye.

Luke 6:39-42 AMP

Relationships are tough for us. I want to be in charge of every one and every thing around me. Well, not me personally, BUT humans want that control. And it is easy to see in how often folks try to micromanage every component of their day. I gave up that control a while ago. Way before the plague hit I gave up that control and started looking for the One who was in control.

BUT we can see this action a lot in ourselves and in others. We think that we have nothing more to learn. We think that we have got it all figured out. We think that we know better than our teachers or even God. We think that we are sinless and guiltless. We think that we are perfected already. We think that we have nothing more to work out before God. We think that we have plenty of time to point out the flaws of others rather than working on our own faults. We are hypocrites. We are pretending. We are lying.

I will tell you that every day is a struggle, as Paul wrote, “For I alow not that which I do: for what I would, that do I not: but what I hate, that do I. If I doe then that which I woulde not, I consent to the Lawe, that it is good. Nowe then, it is no more I, that doe it, but sinne that dwelleth in me” (Romans 7:15-17). I have a lot to work on just like Paul did. I don’t mean I am physically fighting myself all day BUT I still live in a world full of broken people and saturated with sin. And even though I am working on my righteousness, there are a lot of people not working on being righteous. There are a lot of folks that are working with the ones with whom I need to struggle because, again as Paul wrote, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, and against the worldly gouernours, the princes of the darkenesse of this worlde, against spirituall wickednesses, which are in ye hie places” (Ephesians 6:12). And I need to struggle against those spirits while I walk in the Spirit.

I pray that I focus on my Walk in the Way of the Lord. I pray that I am humble and teachable. I pray that I look to learn and not to micromanage. I pray that I give control to God to lead as I follow. I pray that I look at all I need to fix in my life. I pray that I work to fix those things with which I struggle. And I pray that He guides me to be a better a light, a better example, and a better Ambassador of His Kingdom. I pray that my work on attaining His righteousness on this side of eternity is a light to those in my home, my community, and my life. I pray that I take seriously my work as an Ambassador of His Kingdom as I walk with Him each day.

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

#ThinkBetter #BeBetter #NoKingButChrist #EmbraceTheWithin #NotMyWayYHWH

Embrace the Within no. 165

“Be merciful (responsive, compassionate, tender) just as your [heavenly] Father is merciful. Do not judge [others self-righteously], and you will not be judged; do not condemn [others when you are guilty and unrepentant], and you will not be condemned [for your hypocrisy]; pardon [others when they truly repent and change], and you will be pardoned [when you truly repent and change]. Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over [with no space left for more]. For with the standard of measurement you use [when you do good to others], it will be measured to you in return.”

[This is not a prohibition of judgment, nor is it a command to stop using godly wisdom, common sense, and moral courage together with God’s written word to discern right from wrong, to distinguish between morality and immorality, and to judge doctrinal truth. There are many judgments that are not only legitimate, but are commanded (cf John 7:24; 1 Cor 5:5, 12; Gal 1:8, 9; 1 John 4:1-3; 2 John 10); however, you cannot judge another if you are committing the same type of sin].

Luke 6:36-38 AMP

I always love that the amplified version adds that caveat at the end because so many folks stop at the comma and even forget the preceding statement about mercy from the Sermon on the Mount. And, do we need mercy and forgiveness? I need God’s mercy and forgiveness for my life. I need God’s mercy and forgiveness in my life. And too often I can get stuck on just how imperfect I am and just how imperfect other Christians are as well. I can show a lot more mercy to the heathens than I can fellow Christians because I expect a lot less. BUT God doesn’t expect less from them. He expects the exact same of everyone. He expects love and obedience.

And I have to continue to grow in His mercy and forgiveness. I read something last night that reminds me about my walk in the Way of the Lord and how sometimes I get frustrated with myself for not living up to His expectations. In his essay Science and Existence, Rudolf Bultmann brings his ideas about our walk with God together near the very end of the essay by stating, “For God is not to be held fast in faith in the sense that believers can look back on their faith as a decision made once and for all. God always remains beyond what has once been grasped, which means that the decision of faith is genuine only as actualized ever anew. God is 'the guest who always moves on' (Rilke), who cannot be apprehended in any now as one who remains. Rather, as the one who demands my decision ever anew, God ever stands before me as one who is coming, and this constant futurity of God is God's transcendence.” And I think that beautifully explains that my walk with Him is not ever achieved this side of eternity. It is not decided once and left in my past. My walk is a daily decision, even a moment by moment decision, on whether I walk toward Him. And I am not there yet. I am constantly working out my, “ . . . salvation [that is, cultivate it, bring it to full effect, actively pursue spiritual maturity] with awe-inspired fear and trembling [using serious caution and critical self-evaluation to avoid anything that might offend God or discredit the name of Christ]”(Philippians 2:12 AMP). I am not the reflection, the light, or the Ambassador of His Kingdom that I need to be yet. BUT I get to make that choice every day to work on that. I know we aren’t saved by works BUT that doesn’t stop me from working on Kingdom business. And if I’m not working on His business, then I am doing my own thing. And I see to many people acting like they already crossed the finish line. And I never want to feel like that until I stand in His presence at judgment.

I pray that I never give up on mercy and forgiveness. I pray that I am able to forgive and be merciful to my brothers and sisters as much as I am those outside His Church. I pray that my daily decision to walk in His Way is an example to others. I pray that my work on His behalf on this side of eternity is a light to those in my home, my community, and my life. I pray that I take seriously my work as an Ambassador of His Kingdom as I walk with Him each day.

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

#ThinkBetter #BeBetter #NoKingButChrist #EmbraceTheWithin #NotMyWayYHWH