Embrace the Within no. 183

“He will pay back to each person according to his deeds [justly, as his deeds deserve]: to those who by persistence in doing good seek [unseen but certain heavenly] glory, honor, and immortality, [He will give the gift of] eternal life.

But for those who are selfishly ambitious and self-seeking and disobedient to the truth but responsive to wickedness, [there will be] wrath and indignation. There will be tribulation and anguish [torturing confinement] for every human soul who does [or permits] evil, to the Jew first and also to the Greek, but glory and honor and inner peace [will be given] to everyone who habitually does good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For God shows no partiality [no arbitrary favoritism; with Him one person is not more important than another]”(Romans 2:6-11 AMP).

I am important to God. You are important to God. We are all equally important to God. God is not partial to anyone, Jew or Gentile, man or woman, saved or unsaved. He loves us all. He will reward us with the judgment we deserve when we stand before Him. I am promised that His judgment will not be arbitrary or partial. His judgment will be according to my actions as I live this side of eternity.

If I persist in denying myself, taking up His cross, and following in obedience, then glory, honor, and eternal life are my gifts. If I am selfish and disobedient, then wrath, indignation, tribulation, and anguish are my gifts.

BUT how can a loving God give good things to one group of people and bad things to another group of people? Who said that wrath, indignation, tribulation, and anguish are bad things? That is your judgment on those things. For God, all things have a purpose. And His love does need for us to learn from our mistakes. BUT, unlike men, God is not going to be vindictive about our mistakes. God is not going out of His way to be mean and spiteful to us. He is giving us the gifts we deserve. There is no spite or malice in these rewards. HE is giving us what we earned because He loves us.

And He is the ultimate judge of my heart. He knows if I am serving Him obediently. He knows if I am being righteous. He knows if I am living as a reflection of His example portrayed through Jesus. Because knowing the Father is only possible through knowing Jesus, “'. . . no man knoweth the Sonne, but ye Father: neither knoweth any man ye Father, but the Sonne, and he to whom ye Sonne will reueile him” (Matthew 11:27 GNV). So I am going to spend a lot more time looking at how The Christ lived so that I can know God.

I pray that I live daily by the example provided by Jesus. I pray that my actions are a reflection of God through the example of His Son. I pray that through these actions I reflect His example to others. I pray that through this walk that I will be a better Ambassador of His Kingdom.

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. 182

“But because of your callous stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are [deliberately] storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed” (Romans 2:5 AMP).

Man, how many times was this me in the past and how many times will this be me again in the future? Stubborn and unrepentant is an ongoing theme in not only my own history BUT, it appears, one that I encounter in others daily as well. I can get so dialed into what I believe and stubbornly and blindly follow my own belief rather than read, listen, and obey the Lord. And I can make that such a routine that I feel like there is nothing for me to repent because I believe I am right and righteous.

And in so doing, in being stubborn and unrepentant, I am putting myself in the direct path of His judgment. I am putting myself in that situation. I am putting myself in that situation when I don’t read and listen and obey. When I enthrone my understanding and my opinions rather than listen to His Word, I put myself in that situation. I choose to complicate things by not being obedient to His Word. I choose to be stubborn and think that I know better. I choose to make things all about me and my understanding. I choose to rely on what other folks say rather than asking God. I choose to do things the easy way rather than doing my own work in my relationship with Him. I choose judgment.

I am only right by reflecting His righteousness. And His righteousness is not found within my choices. His righteousness is found by studying His example. His righteousness is found by daily denying myself, taking up His cross, and following Him in obedience. His righteousness is found when I put my will and stubbornness on the altar and offer my own way as a sacrifice to following Him.

I pray that every day I let my self die so that I can take up what He has for me to do. I pray that I follow the Lord and not rely on my own understanding. I pray that His Spirit helps me discern from His example of how I should speak, act, and reflect His righteousness. I pray that I am a better reflection of His Will as an Ambassador of His Kingdom in my home, my community, and this world.

Grace and Shalom to your home.

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

#ThinkBetter #BeBetter #NoKingButChrist #EmbraceTheWithin #NotMyWayYHWH